Instructor

Chris Adamski-Mietus, M.A., Western Illinois University

Program Description

The Master of Arts degree program in sociology is designed to meet the needs of students having interests in several substantive areas including criminology and deviance, modernization and demography, social change and collective behavior, the family, organizations, stratification, and race and ethnicity. The Master of Arts degree in sociology qualifies individuals for jobs in government, human service agencies, and businesses which require a social science or behavioral science master’s degree. Community colleges employ master’s graduates as teachers, and some universities employ them as entry level, temporary teachers. The Master of Arts degree also serves as preparation toward a Ph.D. degree in sociology.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the graduate program in sociology must have a 2.75 overall undergrad GPA or a 3.0 or higher for the last two years. Applicants must submit a statement of purpose and are encouraged to take the Graduate Record Examination prior to admission, which is strongly recommended for those applying for graduate assistantships. Students who have not had a course in statistics are required to take a course in elementary statistics.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts degree in sociology may be earned by satisfying either the requirements of the thesis or the general sociology (non‑thesis) plan. In either case, a degree plan must be submitted and approved by the graduate committee before the thesis proposal or paper is presented. No more than three semester hours outside the department (six semester hours for Peace Corps Fellows), 3 semester hours for SOC 501, and six semester hours for 400-G level courses may be included on the degree plan.

An oral presentation of a paper, which can be based on an area of the student's course work, will be given to the departmental faculty. The paper must be approved by the student's adviser and a second reader selected by the student, and the paper is to be kept on file in the Department.

Course Descriptions

Sociology (SOC)

405G Sociology of Aging in Rural and Urban America. (3) An investigation of the social and political consequences for communities and society at large from the expanding populations of the aged, and a sociological examination of the relationships between community and institutional arrangements and the social and social‑psychological dimensions of aging. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or permission of the instructor.

410G (cross-listed with WS 410G) Women and Poverty. (3) The poverty of women in the United States, including factors of race, place of residence, and age are covered. Structural hierarchies that maintain poverty are examined from a sociological perspective. Prerequisite: WS 190 or SOC 100 or permission of the instructor.

414G Population. (3) The distribution, growth, and characteristics of human population and its relationship to social organization. Prerequisites: Two courses in Sociology including SOC 100 or 510.

420G (cross-listed with AAS 420G and WS 420G) Race, Class and Gender. (3) The course will examine issues of race, class, and gender in historical, cultural, and contemporary societal contexts. Prerequisites: WS 190 or AAS 100 or SOC 100; or permission of the instructor.

424G Sociology of Mental Health. (3) A survey of the history, causes, treatment, and effects of mental illness in the United States with emphasis on sociological factors such as social class, race, definitional process, etc. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510, SOC 200, or permission of the instructor.

425G Juvenile Delinquency. (3) A survey of theories of causation relating to juvenile delinquency and an analysis of the development of history of the juvenile court in America and the relationship of that system to rehabilitation prospects, detention facilities, police behavior, and various social institutions. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510, SOC 200, or permission of the instructor.

426G Industrial Sociology. (3) Impact of industrialization on society; structure and functions of work organization; occupations and careers; managerial union philosophies; industry‑community relations. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or 510, or permission of the instructor.

427G Sociology of Sexual Identities and Inequalities. (3) Study of issues related to the sociology of sexual identities and the resulting inequalities. While heterosexuality will be discussed, the focus will be on homosexual and bisexual identities and how they are constructed and experience in a heteronormative society.

430G (cross-listed with WS 430G) Sociology of Women’s Health. (3) Uses sociological theories and research to examine the gendered experience of illness. Includes sociological analysis of medical knowledge about women’s health. Topics include medicalization of women’s health, the gendered hierarchy of professions, and feminist critiques of scientific research.

432G (cross-listed with POLS 432G) Survey Methods. (3) An overview of how to design, conduct, and present the results of social surveys. The course includes a familiarization with data preparation for computer processing and an introduction to use computer software statistical packages. Prerequisite: Any university level statistics course or permission of the instructor.

435G Women and Crime. (3) Theories of female criminality, patterns of female crime and victimization, women in corrections, and women as criminal justice practitioners are examined. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or 510, or permission of the instructor.

445G Sociology of Corporate Crime. (3) A sociological analysis of theories and research concerning the nature, extent, costs, and control of crimes committed by corporations. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510, SOC 355, or permission of the instructor.

455G Sociology of Corrections. (3) An examination of the sociocultural and socioeconomic causes and functions of correctional institutions. An analysis of the social organization of both the inmate social system and the administrative treatment and custodial personnel, and an examination of the facilitators and impediments to rehabilitation generated by the social organization. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510 and SOC 355, or permission of the instructor.

460G The Family. (3) Institutions and systems of kinship, marriage, family grouping, child rearing, personal maintenance, and status placement. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or 510, or permission of the instructor.

461G Educational Sociology. (3) A comparative and functional analysis of education as an institution; the interaction of education and other institutions; and the relation of education to social change. Prerequisites: SOC 100 and one additional sociology course, or permission of the instructor.

462G Political Sociology. (3) An analysis of power structures, decision-making systems, conflict, conflict resolution, and various theories of power.

463G Sociology of Law. (3) An analysis of the social origin of law, the effects of law on human behavior, inter-relations between law and other social institutions, and of the relationship between law and social change. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or 510.

464G Sociology of Religion. (3) Research findings concerning religious groups and institutions, function of religion in sacred and secular societies; comparisons of religious norms and their effect on patterned behavior, relations between religion and other institutions such as economic, family, etc. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510 and two additional sociology and anthropology courses.

465G Deviance, Crime, and Control in Socio-Historical Perspective. (3) Historical conceptions of deviance; origin of prisons, asylums; emergence of police; rates and types of deviance and varieties of social control in particular historical periods. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510 and two additional sociology and anthropology courses.

471G Urban Sociology. (3) City life forms and the alternative structures of complex societies; special arrangements, systems of decision making; belief formation, energy use, communication, socialization, and control. History of urban growth, ecology, complex organization, and sources of cohesion. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510 and three additional courses in sociology and anthropology.

480G Deviance and Disruption in the American Family. (3) A sociological analysis of family deviance; neglect; abuse; and violence including processes leading to major personal crises and family disruption; and social programs and policies. Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 510, or permission of the instructor.

500 Proseminar in Sociology. (1) An introduction to the profession of sociology. Overview of major subfields within sociology. Information on preparing professional papers, research proposals, and oral presentations.

501 Individual Readings in Sociology and Anthropology. (1–3) Special topics selected in consultation with the instructor. Repeatable to a total of six semester hours. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

508 (cross-listed with ANTH 508 and WS 508) Women and Social Movements. (3) This course covers women in social movements. Sociological, anthropological, and feminist theories are used to study women’s movements and social change. Topics include, but are not limited to: suffrage, birth control, environmental, peace, child protection, and international human rights movements. Prerequisites: One previous undergraduate course in women’s studies, anthropology, or sociology, or permission of the instructor.

518 Classical Theory. (3) Detailed examination, analysis, and critiques of classical theorists and theories in Sociology. Emphasis on analysis of the foundations of sociological theory including Comte, Spencer, Marx, Weber, Durkheim and Parsons among others will be discussed. Prerequisite: SOC 333 or permission of the instructor.

520 Sociology of Knowledge. (3) A survey of theories and research concerning social determination of systems of knowledge. Historical development of the field and recent synthesis of the German, French, and American epistemological trends. Special emphasis is put on an intensive analysis of the relationship between knowledge and the power in post-industrial society. Authors studied include Marx, Scheler, Mannheim, Schutz, Levi-Strauss, Habermas, and Gouldner. Prerequisite: Twelve semester hours of sociology.

525 Advanced Studies in Social Inequality. (3) Critical examination of theoretical and empirical writings on the distribution of wealth, power and prestige in society. Overview of role of social institutions and social and personal values on the construction of inequality and its impact on both individuals and society.

532 Demographic Techniques. (3) Specialized techniques of development and analysis of population data. Original census, registration, and estimating techniques; life table construction; projections; fertility measures; use of population data; and tools of applications such as urban planning, migration analysis, and testing of sociological variables. Prerequisite: Twelve semester hours of sociology including SOC 232 and 414.

535 (cross-listed with ANTH 535) Qualitative Research Methods. (3) This course is designed to expose students to several qualitative research methods used in the social sciences. In this course, students will learn how to select the appropriate qualitative method based on the strengths, limitations and ethical dilemmas each method poses. Students will also learn how to conduct research, analyze data, and write qualitative research findings. Prerequisite: Six semester hours of sociology graduate work.

546 Social Conflict. (3) Minority struggles, violence, deviance, hostile actions and counter-measures are examined in the context of reorganization of systems of interaction and of changing values; functions of conflict, social conditions of conflict and alternatives to conflict in group relations. Prerequisite: Twelve semester hours of sociology and anthropology.

550 Advanced Studies in Marriage and Family. (3) An advanced and critical treatment of the current issues, research and theoretical formulations of contemporary marriage and family life styles, emphasizing major demographic, economic, cultural, gender role and value system changes leading to personal and social consequences. Prerequisites: Six semester hours of sociology and anthropology including SOC 100 or 510, 370 or 480.

555 Socialization. (3) Processes of internationalization of norms through symbolic interaction; theories regarding agencies, forces, cultural variation in socialization process; role theory, relationship to age‑sex statuses, social adjustment, social class, vocation, education, and child development. Formulation of personality as set of predispositions for action derived from internalized role components. Prerequisite: Twelve semester hours of sociology and anthropology.

561 Family and Work Roles. (3) A comprehensive review of the changing pattern of family and work roles in the United States and in other societies. The review includes a new pattern of married couples' sex role division, employment, and career experience. Prerequisite: Six semester hours of sociology.

565 Sociology of Health and Medicine. (3) An examination of the field of health and medicine including the self, illness and wellness; caregiver and client relationships; total institutions; demography and epidemiology and examination of health care.

570 Seminar on Current Crime Research. (3) Crime theories and research developed since 1975 are examined. Research topics may include gender, race, violent crime, white collar crime, terrorism, or other topics. Prerequisites: Three semester hours of undergraduate criminology; six semester hours of graduate sociology, including SOC 518.

580 The 20th Century. (3) This course is an overview of social change and the development of the discipline of sociology in the United States during the 20th Century. Sociologists will describe and discuss work done this century in their respective areas of sociological specialization. Sociological interpretations of major social changes and trends in the areas of family, government, economy, group relations, and popular culture will be provided. Prerequisite: Twelve semester hours of sociology or permission of the instructor.

590 Writing in Sociology. (3) This course promotes improved writing competence in sociology and overcoming writing problems. Focus is on intellectual expression, critique of writing, and presentation of sociological ideas. Prerequisite: Six semester hours of sociology.

599 Seminar in Sociology. (1–3, repeatable under different special topics) Special topics in sociology to be announced. Prerequisite: SOC 510 or permission of the instructor. Intended primarily for majors in sociology.

600 Thesis Research. (3)Prerequisites: SOC 518, 530, and 531.

601 Thesis in Sociology. (3)

602 Comprehensive Exam. (0) Students will complete a written comprehensive exam in the areas of social research methods and social theory. The examination will be graded either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Students must pass both parts of the examination by the second attempt. Graded S/U. Prerequisite: Approval of the Departmental Graduate Adviser.

612 Seminar in the Instruction of Undergraduate Sociology. (3) Designed to prepare sociology majors for the teaching of elementary courses at the junior college and four‑year college level. Syllabus preparation, emphasizing course content and selection of topics and issues; course outlines, lecture planning, examination techniques, problems of rapport and objectivity, text selection. Students will present guest lectures in participating classes. Prerequisite: Sixteen graduate hours or candidacy.

694 Graduate Internship. (3-6) Supervised applied experience in sociologically related areas such as social services, law enforcement, or research. Written report required. Prerequisites: Approval of department chairperson and completion of at least 21 s.h. of graduate coursework (including SOC 510, 518, and 531).

698 Internship Presentation. (0) Students in the internship degree option present a paper on their internship integrating sociology to their internship. The paper will be approved by a committee of two faculty members and the Chairperson of the Departmental Graduate Committee.

699 Sociology Non-thesis Paper. (0) Students in the non-thesis degree option will write and present a paper on a topic approved by a committee of two faculty members selected by the student and approved by the Chair of the Departmental Graduate Committee. Graded S/U. Prerequisite: Permission of the Department Chairperson.

Anthropology (ANTH)

410G Anthrozoology. (3) Anthrozoology examines human-animal relationships from the perspective of anthropology with an emphasis on culture and its influence on attitudes toward animals. Prerequisite: ANTH 110 or permission of instructor. Successful completion of a course in research methods is highly recommended.

417G Primate Ecology. (3) This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to primatology utilizing principles from anthropology, ecology, paleontology, and animal behavior. Students gain an understanding of the evolutionary history, adaptations, and conservation of primates and their habitats. Prerequisites: ANTH 111 or ZOOL 200 or permission of instructor.

419G Anthropological Theory. (3) Study of intellectual currents which led to the establishment of anthropology as a discipline. Prerequisites: 12 s.h. of anthropology coursework including ANTH 110 and 111, or permission of the instructor.

463G (cross-listed with BIOL 463G) Ethnobotany. (4) A survey of how indigenous people use and classify plants in comparison to modern, scientific principles of botany and plant chemistry, and the use of traditional knowledge by modern science. May require field work with travel at student expense. Prerequisites: BIOL 100, 101, 102, or 103; ANTH 110 or SZOC 100; or permission of the instructor.

508 (cross-listed with SOC 508 and WS 508) Women and Social Movements. (3) This course covers women in social movements. Sociological, anthropological, and feminist theories are used to study women’s movements and social change. Topics include, but are not limited to: suffrage, birth control, environmental, peace, child protection, and international human rights movements. Prerequisites: One previous undergraduate course in women’s studies, anthropology, or sociology and graduate standing, or permission of the instructor.

535 (cross-listed with SOC 535) Qualitative Research Methods. (3) This course is designed to expose students to several qualitative research methods used in the social sciences. In this course, students will learn how to select the appropriate qualitative method based on the strengths, limitations and ethical dilemmas each method poses. Students will also learn how to conduct research, analyze data, and write qualitative research findings. Prerequisite: Six semester hours of sociology graduate work.